Khalakh

The tribes of Israel were
exiled by the Assyrians to three places; Halah (Khalakh), the confluence
of the river Gozan and the cities of the Medes. The first two places are
beyond the mountains of the Caucasus. Khalakh, of which it is some-times
said that its location is unknown (Graetz) was Colchis, the south-eastern
coast land of the Black Sea. To Colchis Jason sent the legendary Argonaut
expedition to bring back the Golden Fleece.

A Jewish community lives there
from ancient times, claiming descent from the exiled Ten Tribes. Also
in the Georgian mountains live Mountain Jews with ancient customs, also
claiming descent from the Ten Tribes. See about them Ben-Zvi, The Exiled
and the Redeemed.

Caspian Sea comes from the
Hebrew word caspi, or silvery. Rostov from Rosh Tov (good
estuary), Don from Dan, also Donai (possibly also Dnieper and Dniester)
all to memory of Dan, the holy city of the Ten Tribes. A large number
of the Israelites were exiled by Sargon II over the Caucasian mountains
to Southern Russia.